final report of wastesafe 2017 2017.pdf · final report of wastesafe 2017 5th international...

Final Report of WasteSafe 2017

5th International Conference on

Solid Waste Management in South-Asian Countries 25-27 February 2017, Khulna, Bangladesh

Like the previous ones, WasteSafe 2017, the 5th event of WasteSafe, the International Conference on

‘Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries’ in the South-Asian region of the World was

successfully organized at Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) in Khulna of

Bangladesh. The international conference was a three days program, 25-27 February 2017. The

conference was jointly organized by the Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (Bangladesh),

Bauhaus University of Weimar (Germany), University of Padova (Italy), International Waste Working

Group (IWWG) and the ORBIT Group. The conference was supported by two strategic partners – two

international organizations working on sanitation i.e. SNV – Netherlands Development organization and

WaterAid Bangladesh. Along with these two organizations, the conference was also sponsored by

another two companies i.e. Seven Rings Cement and China Geo-Engineering Corporation.

The success of the four past successive editions of these International Conferences (WasteSafe 2009,

WasteSafe 2011, WasteSafe 2013 and WasteSafe 2015) encouraged the organizer to continue activities

in every odd year, in the month of February, when the best climatic conditions in Bangladesh coincide

with the worst climatic conditions in many other countries. WasteSafe 2017 was organized, as usual, to

exchange views and experiences at both national and international levels and to understand the solid

waste management concept and modern technologies, with a focus on the sustainability of the system as

a whole, on the selection of the most appropriate technology, on the economy of the system, with a

special emphasis on developing countries. However, two new events were introduced in that conference

which are “Innovative Competition” and “Dr. M. Harunur Rashid Best Paper Award”. The scientific papers

were presented on the following themes:

Solid Waste Management and Technologies

Faecal Sludge Management and Technologies

Waste Water Treatment Technologies

The Conference was held in the Civil Engineering Building of KUET at Khulna, Bangladesh. More than

150 academics, researchers, professionals, students and other figures from 7 different countries

submitted their scientific contributions and registered to attend in the conference. The Opening Session of

the Conference was held in the Auditorium of KUET on Monday, 26th February 2017 including opening

remarks from the organizers and guests including a Theme paper presentation. In the conference total 98

papers were presented including 3 Keynote papers in 1 keynote session and 12 technical parallel

sessions.

The Inaugural Ceremony was presided over by the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Prof.

Muhammed Alamgir and addressed by Prof. Echard Kraft from the Bauhaus University of Weimar,

Germany and Prof. Dr. Maria Cristina Lavagnolo, University of Padova, Italy. The special Guest Chairs

are graced by Mr. Jason Mitchell Belanger, Country Director, Bangladesh at SNV –Netherlands

Development Organization and Dr. Md. Khairul Islam, Country Representative, WaterAid Bangladesh and

Prof. Dr. Werner Bidlingmaier, Pioneer & Leader of Waste Management, Germany was the Guest of


5th International Conference on Solid Waste Management in South-Asian Countries

WasteSafe 2017 Final Report 2

Honour of the Inaugural Ceremony. The Administrator of Khulna District and Veteran Politician, Mr.

Sheikh Harunur Rashid delivered his speech as the Chief Guest. The Opening Session was followed by a

group photo and a break for light refreshments, where the participants attending from different parts of the

world exchanged greetings.

The conference was enriched by the presentation of numerous high quality research papers, especially of

practical issues, from both developing and developed or industrialized countries. In the theme paper

entitled as “New Perspectives through Joint Research Activity”, the importance of education in waste

management is presented by Prof. Dr. Liz Bachhuber, Bauhaus University Weimar, Germany. The

keynote session also focused on how Anaerobic Digestion can be used to increase food value of

aquaculture systems (Prof. Dr. Echard Kraft), the efficient use of resources by 3Rs (Prof. Dr. Sadhan

Kumar Ghosh) and on waste management educational projects in low income countries (Prof. Dr. Maria

Cristina Lavagnolo). Dr. Nawa Raj Kathiwada, Kathmandu University, Nepal was the session chair for

keynote papers.

In this conference Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) was discussed as an upcoming issue for the urban

settlements in two separate technical sessions. Around 20 scientific papers were presented in that two

sessions where Mr. Jason Mitchell Belanger, Country Director, SNV Bangladesh and Mr. Rajeev

Munankami, Senior Advisor/FSM Programme Leader, SNV Bangladesh were two session chairs. A

considerable number of papers were presented on different waste management scenarios and methods

implemented in developing countries. E-waste management, role of waste management in sustainability,

3R in economic development and many other topics dealt with during the conference.

Conference Chairman with Chief Guest of the Opening Session of WasteSafe 2017

In the WasteSafe 2017, good numbers of experience and research findings were presented by young

researchers from different countries, mainly from developing countries. The critical discussions and

suggestions that emerged from presentation of papers will undoubtedly assist these researchers in their

studies. Some of the topics highlighted during discussion included difficulties in achieving sustainable

waste management practices in developing countries, lack of public awareness, need for community

participation, organizational reforms, law enforcement, potential application of composting, recycling,

strong need for hospital waste management and implementation of sustainable landfill technologies.




Other original research works dealt with increasing public awareness and change of attitude towards

MSW management, informal recycling plants, development of appropriate composting technologies,

management of organic wastes, leachate treatment and construction of sustainable landfill using locally

available building materials and construction technologies.

This conference also enriched by a number of good papers and the field experiences related to the faecal

sludge the domestic waste water management. Some field level experiences also shared by the

difference organizations specially SNV- Netherlands Development Organization and WaterAid

Bangladesh. Two technical sessions are included the papers those address the research findings and

field level experiences on faecal sludge and wastewater management in the cities

During the conference days, 26th and 27th February, for the entire conference time (9am to 6pm), three

organizations, namely SNV – Netherland Development Organization, WaterAid Bangladesh and KUET

displayed and explained their works and achievement on sanitation issues (Faecal Sludge, Solid waste

and Wastewater) to the Guest, participants and visitors of the conference through three separate Booth

using Videos, Photographs, Leaflets and other related documents. These arrangements for the first time

for WasteSafe Conference drawn huge attention to the relevant stakeholders.

One of the new events, for WasteSafe 2017 is the recognition of individual’s lifelong work on Waste and

the handed over the trophy to the recipient in the Name “WasteSafe Lifetime Achievement Award 2017”

in the Conference Dinner on 26th Feb. 2017 at Hotel Castle Salam. For the first time, Prof. Dr. Werner

Bidlingmaier, Germany, is the recipient of this award. He was present in the ceremony and after receiving

the award gave a short remarkable speech.

During the Conference Dinner, on behalf of the organizing committee, the token of appreciation were

handed over to the conference sponsors by handing over a Crest from WasteSafe International

Conference. The lists included SNV Bangladesh, WaterAid Bangladesh, Seven Rings and China Geo-

Engineering. The conference dinner also included the social events about the showcase of the different

traditions of Bengali culture, with traditional dances and music, and a dinner with a huge variety of local

delicacies.

The WasteSafe 2017 Conference ended with a simple closing ceremony on 27th February 2017, presided

over by Prof. Alamgir to evaluate the conference and to have specific suggestions and guidelines for the

next WasteSafe Conference. Prof. Bidlingmaier, Prof. Kraft, Prof. Ghosh, Prof. Bari, Dr. Cristina and Dr.

Khatiwada was present as the guests and expressed their evaluations & views for the next WasteSafe.

During the closing ceremony, the names of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd best innovative ideas on the “Innovative

Design of Waste Bins for Home/Office/Roadsides” are declared based on the evaluation of a Jury Board

and the prize money sponsored by the FabLab of KUET, were handed over to the them. Moreover, the

names of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd young researchers for ‘Dr. M. Harunur Rashid Best Paper Award’ was

declared based the evolution of their paper contents, presentation and relevance by a scientific

committee. The organizing committee gratefully acknowledged the continuous, cordial and effective

support provided by all organizations and individuals contributing towards the success of the conference.

In particular, a special acknowledgement was addressed to the Conference sponsors, which were

fundamental for covering the Conference costs.




Group photo of some of the participants at the WasteSafe 2017 Conference

Organizers and Guests at the Closing Session of WasteSafe 2017

In the closing ceremony the participants highly appreciated the events and realized its necessity and

suggested organizing a similar International Conference in a developing country every odd year and

considered Khulna as an ideal place. Prof. Alamgir also acknowledged the contributions of his

colleagues, KUET authority and the volunteers (Students of KUET) who actively supported the events

and contributed towards its success.

The International advisory committee was decided to include faecal sludge management issues in the title

of the conference as it becomes one of the major sanitation issues in the South-Asian Countries.

Moreover, in this conference, WasteSafe 2017, considerable number of research papers are related to

Faecal Sludge and the domestic wastewater. Hence the title of the WasteSafe 2019 is revised as

“WasteSafe 2019 - the 6th International Conference on Integrated Solid Waste & Faecal

Sludge Management for South-Asian Countries”. Finally, it was decided that the next

WasteSafe conference will take place in Khulna, Bangladesh on 23-24 February 2019 at the same venue

and the conference title and the date was declared during the closing ceremony.




“WasteSafe Lifetime Achievement Award” handed over to Prof. Bidlingmaier, 26th February 2017

Appreciation Crest is handed over to the Sponsors of WasteSafe 2017




Presentation of traditional cultural show during Conference Dinner on 26th February 2017

Post conference programmes included a 3 Day Tour to Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forests of the

world, daylong programme in Mongla-Bagerhat-Rupsha to visit historical places of the southwest of the

country and technical visits to various compost plants, door to door collection system, secondary disposal

site, landfill site, recycling shops at Khulna and other waste management facilities.

final report of wastesafe 2017 2017.pdf · final report of wastesafe 2017 5th international...

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